June 5, 2011 at 2:41 am
I would not call it unethical to ask IT to buy a particular product in order to get new business from the vendor. If it is a net benefit to the company, there is nothing wrong with that. However, if they were pressuring IT to buy products from particular vendors for their own personal gain (free tickets, golf, gifts, money, etc.), I would call that unethical.
A leading computer maker and a leading network provider specified in their RFQs that a company I worked for had to buy products from them if we wanted to sell services to them. The network provider in particular specified that we buy services at list price, far above market price, so I think it is important to look at deals like that to make sure that it actually is a net benefit. It might just be a way for a salesman to get a big commission on a deal while returning the profits to the vendor through the IT budget.
June 6, 2011 at 4:34 am
In the UK the new Bribery Act comes into force on 1 July 2011. It can fine companies an unlimited amount, and can send people to prison. The new legislation formalises offences relating to:
o Bribing another person
o Accepting a bribe
o Bribing a foreign or public official
o Failure, as a commercial organisation to prevent bribery, subject to a defence of having ‘adequate procedures’.
Let's hope the new laws will be enforced.
June 6, 2011 at 4:40 am
Mosaic. That reminds me - when I read about that a few weeks back, it said the US laws were more rigid.
June 6, 2011 at 4:53 am
Michael.Beeby :
Unfortunately having a law and enforcing it are two different things. On top of that, with the current "austerity drive", law enfocement is an area where I fear that cut backs could be made without anyone being the wiser.
June 6, 2011 at 9:14 am
mosaic-263591 (6/6/2011)
. . . On top of that, with the current "austerity drive", law enfocement is an area where I fear that cut backs could be made without anyone being the wiser.
IMO that is the reaction to the situation we had 10-15 years ago, when the questions was "Are we spending enough?"
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